Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

1. Living in a relationship in which one organism derives food or other benefits from another organism without hurting or helping it. Commensal bacteria are part of the normal flora in the mouth.2. An intimate relationship. The Norway rat, roof rat, and house mouse are considered commensal rodents because of their intimate relationships with humans. From the Latin prefix com- (with,…

The plural of comedo, the primary sign of acne, consisting of a dilated (widened) hair follicle filled with keratin squamae (skin debris), bacteria, and sebum (oil). Comedones may be closed or open. A closed comedo has an obstructed opening to the skin and may rupture to cause a low-grade skin inflammatory reaction in the area. The common name for a closed comedo is…

Prefix referring to the vagina.

A sticky white or yellow fluid secreted by the breasts during the second half of pregnancy and for a few days after birth, before breast milk comes in. It is high in protective antibodies that boost the newborn’s immune system.

An artificial exit from the colon created to divert waste through a hole in the colon and through the wall of the abdomen. A colostomy is commonly performed by severing the colon and then attaching the end leading to the stomach to the skin, through the wall of the abdomen. At the exterior opening (stoma), a bag can be…

A procedure whereby a physician inserts a viewing tube (colonoscope) into the rectum for the purpose of inspecting the colon. During colonoscopy, polyps can be removed, bleeding can be cauterized, and a biopsy can be performed if abnormal areas of the colon are seen.

The long, coiled, tubelike organ that removes water from digested food. The remaining material, solid waste called stool, moves through the colon to the rectum and leaves the body through the anus. Also known as large bowel and large intestine.

In anatomy, a collateral is a subordinate or accessory part. A collateral is also a side branch, as of a blood vessel or nerve. After a coronary artery occlusion, collaterals (that is, collateral vessels) often develop to shunt blood around the blockage. The word “collateral” comes from the Latin “col-“, with + “latus”, side = with the side, situated at the side.…

The principal protein of the skin, tendons, cartilage, bone, and connective tissue. Collagen is an essential part of the framework of the design of our various body tissues.

Inflammation of the large intestine (the colon). There are many forms of colitis, including ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, infectious, pseudomembranous, and spastic. For example, intermittent rectal bleeding, crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea can be symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Diagnosis can be made by direct visualization using (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) which is the most accurate test. Long-standing ulcerative colitis increases the risk for…